The Super Eagles had two training sessions on Sunday ahead of Tuesday’s international friendly against Ukraine at the Dnipro Arena, Completesports.com reports.
18 players were part of the early morning team walk at FC Dnipro’s training ground at Dnipropetrovsk, within the Pridniprovsk housing estate.
Spain –based defender Chidozie Awaziem, Semi Ajayi and Ola Aina arrived the team’s hotel in the afternoon and were part of the evening’s training session.
Leicester City Kelechi Iheanacho is still the only player yet to hit the team’s camp.
The team is expected to have a feel of the Dnipro Arena today ahead of the game.
Tuesday’s clash will take place at the 31,000 –capacity Dnipro Arena, home ground of top club FC Dnipro, and will kick off at 9.30pm Ukraine time (7.30pm in Nigeria).
It is the first assemblage of the three –time African champions since finishing third and with the bronze medals at the first –ever 24 –team Africa Cup of Nations staged by Egypt June/July this year.
For the Super Eagles, the game also serves as part of the preparation for November’s 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duels with the Squirrels of Benin Republic and the Crocodiles of Lesotho.
By Adeboye Amosu
13 Comments
If I were Kelechi Iheanacho I would be the first player there. Interesting to note that even players called up after him to replace others are in camp but he’s yet to arrive.
It’s almost as if he doesn’t realise what is at stake.
If I were the coach, I would send him back or tell him to be training with the under 23s from now on.
I’m sure even with the new kids on the block in the striker’s role currently in camp, he’ll be the last in the pecking order in the mind of Rohr.
“Leicester City Kelechi Iheanacho is still the only player yet to hit the team’s camp.” E be like say this boy get boil for leg.
Heaven helps those who help themselves.
A word is enough for the wise. Nuff said already…!
The guy no even send. It’s like he’s already thinking of retirement or a business. In fact, Rohr should bench him for this game. When’s the time to assess him for the match?
Kel you’re right!
Kelechi is making his money that’s what matters to him. If you trace the root of his progress and decision making alongside that his hungry father you’ll realise big big money and british passport is their focus and not football. I still clearly remember kelechi’s father rating him ahead of Messi… How market today?
When a man thinketh highly of himself than he ought to the result will be failure… From Village to Stadom that’s the whole problem…. The end result will shock them if they don’t stop their stupidity because they are still thinking Kelechi is bigger than Nigeria and everyone… Not until he starts playing in Div3 and receiving peanuts to foot high bills of lavish life before you know it money go finish the rest is history ask Mike Tyson!
Last advice for kelechi is to humble himself to his nation and career. Keep his pride until he gets to his ghetto where he started from, that is where he should be forming local champion for his yes boss people…. No comment again!
The biggest mistake he’s made in his career is actually behind him (He and his father deciding Man City was better for his development than Porto). How he picks himself up is what matters now.
Kelechi needs no assessment cos his quality is not in doubt.. he only needs to regain form and confidence as a little support and understanding from coach rohr as in the case of Ighalo and a little patience from fans will make start to fire from all cylinders…
He must also get a loan move to a champions league club in belgium soonest
Cuteprince, thank you so much for your contribution above.
From what I saw in Leicester’s pre-season matches, I think I saw enough to convince me that Kelechi Iheanacho has turned a corner.
The only factors holding him back in Leicester are the moment are the following: team management, form of Jamie Vardy and the recent performances of those ahead of him in the pecking order (Quality of available options).
Allow me to explore these one by one:
1) Team management: Coach Brendan Rodgers is a shrewd operator and a very ambitious coach. He might not say it publicly however the Scotsman wants to finish among the top 6 this season. To do that, he needs to carry ‘established/key players’ along.
In so doing, the likes of Vardy, Maddison, Perez, Gray have to be ‘on side’. Keeping these players on side is keeping Iheanacho on the sidelines.
2) Form of Jamie Vardy: Coach Rodgers has identifies Iheanacho as Centre Forward. The problem with this is that the main centre forward of the team – Jamie Vardy – is on fire at the moment!
The retired England international has scored something like 3 goals in 4 games this season with his last performance against Bournemouth attracting a rating of 9.12/10 and also making him the man of the match.
With this kind of form, the chances of ‘Centre Forward Iheanacho’ making the matchday squad anytime soon is as remote Okocha coming out of retirement.
3) Quality of available options: Someone like Ayoze Perez is a sort of like-for-like replacement for Vardy when it comes to pace, power and precision in front of goal scoring 13 goals for Newcastle last season.
Also, the likes of James Maddison, Damarai Gray, James Maddison, Marc Albrighton, Harvey Barnes and even Ayoze Perez are seen as players with dynamic capabilities as forwards/midfielders which boost their value to the team ahead of Iheanacho.
In this sort of climate, the chances of Iheanacho will continue to be limited in Leicester. This is not to say that he is not good – pre-season performances poured cold water on that notion.
It is just the case that, in Leicester at this moments, a combination of factors (not helped by his own lukewarm or declining performances in recent seasons) have contrived to shrink his opportunities for first team football.
It may not be a bad idea to for the 2013 Under 17 world cup hero to seek a loan move to a Championship side in January where he can again start showcasing the skills, qualities and attributes that he still possess which were more than evident in his pre-season performances that saw him score some truly exquisite goals.
We should try to understand whats going on about with Kele.. before we crucify him. I could easily understand the guy is really down confidence wise. I saw his face last time he was on d bench, I think, on the first match of this season, it was written all over him, that he felt being dehumanised. That shame is weighing too much on him especially with him no longer even making the bench. I will plead we all take it easy with him n family. We should allow him sort himself out of this mess peacefully.
He had finally turned up:
“Leicester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho was the last player to join the Super Eagles in Ukraine for tomorrow’s friendly after he missed his outward bound flight.
Eagles top official Patrick Pascal disclosed that Iheanacho was the last player to join up in Dnipro after he failed to catch his flight from England.”
If I were coach, he will not play
https://scorenigeria.com.ng/iheanacho-misses-flight-to-ukraine-for-super-eagles-friendly/
Una sure say Iheanacho don settle with his village people?
@Cuteprince,Deo and glory,you guys seem to understand the situation better.hmmmmmm,guys as Nigerians and black skinned people we are usually disadvantaged most especially when we deal in relation with the white.Infact if you have not done anything with this guys before outside the shores of this country lucky you,cos I have been through this before so I know what am talking about.You are not good enough if you come against their owe.Even if u r still better u r still considered not good enough if their own can merely attempt it.
I feel extremely sorry for Kelechi.Hes up against powerful forces,such a force he might not surmount.At this moment we sincerely need to rally round this poor guy.We should not set up as though we r part of the conspirators against him.I feel those around him need to advice him to move on away from this set up.Lukaku ran for his dear life cos he saw the hand writing and his country rally round him.Iheanacho needs such from us.Do we still remember the experience of Salah and de bryne with Morhino? they had to leave so they can get better and today they r world beaters.Rather than insult Kelechi we should advice him and pray for him cos we r all he has right now.